Howling in the dark
by Blood Thirsty Angle
Summary: AU story line- In which Arthur is a dragon, Merlin is his unsuspecting victim, and it all goes downhill from there. Arthur refuses to let him go, but Merlin insists on finding a way out while slowly falling in love with him. Merthur, with some Lancelot and Guinevere. Title up for changing
1. Prologue

_**Author's note:** Hello everyone! I'm Blood Thirsty Angle (yes I know that is spelt wrong,) and I decided to go ahead and put out this prologue for a new story I'm working on. If you've read my story The Hunter's heart, then you probably know my favorite shipping is Merthur. Nothing against Arwen, I just thought that Merlin and Arthur's relationship was stronger. Anyway, I was browsing through Merlin videos on Youtube when I found this video where Arthur was actually the dragon from the series. I know the dragon is actually Kilghaarah, but I thought it was a cool idea considering Arthur's a Pendragon. Get it? Pen-Dragon? Okay, no pun intended, but I love writing AU stories, so here is mine. I hope you enjoy this little preview! Arthur will be dark for the first half of the story, so be warned. No gay bashing allowed and if you do, I will take down your review and block you from ever reviewing again. I don't want to, but bashing someone's story just because you don't like the pairing or the gender is no reason to flame._

_**Warnings:** Dark Arthur(for the first half), violence, sexual content later on_

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Merlin and never will. All respective rights go to BBC and whoever else made this totally awesome super show._

* * *

_**(Prologue)**_

Another festival had come.

Unlike his sister, who thrived and lived for parties, he did not. Instead, he clung to the shadows and watched with vague interest as his worshipers danced hand in hand around the fire. The sound of their laughter hung in the air, the smiles bright on their faces. He gave a cold smirk, cynical thoughts running across his mind. These mortals were foolish. Did they really think dancing around a fire singing songs would prevent him and his kind from killing them?

He looked through the crowd of people, noticing a small woman standing on the edge near the trees. Unlike the rest of the crowd, she did not dance. Instead, she gazed at them with sadness and slight sympathy. It was obvious that she completely understood that no amount of praise would stop him from doing what he wanted. The dark haired woman coughed once, her tiny and frail body shaking slightly at the cold nip that was in the air. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost, anyways.

He stepped farther back into the shadows, almost ready to leave, when he saw a flash of blue.

That was when he saw him, a flash of color amongst the browns and whites of the people he was around. He stepped further into the light of the fire, invisible to the little mortals, to get a better look at the young man. He was tall and lean, dancing with more grace and poise than the others. His hands were entwined above his head, hips swaying to the rhythm of the flutes, drums, guitars and lyres. He wore simple; modest clothing that consisted of a blue shirt and brown trousers and shoes with a red scarf tied around his neck.

He would not deny it; this man was beautiful. The moonlight traced out his silhouette, the skin appearing a pale blue in the light. His hair was even darker than ebony and even rivaled the color of his sister's hair. The bangs of his hair touched just above his eyebrows, not once touching his eyes. He could not see the color of his eyes because they were closed, but his lashes were long, framing his high cheekbones and angular face.

His eyes did widen when the young man opened his eyes, surprised by what he saw. He was expecting a normal shade of brown or even hazel eyes, but his eye color went beyond all his expectations. They were a shade of blue that he had never seen his immortal life. They were dark blue, rivaling that of the ocean if not darker.

"Merlin, come here!"

He stopped dancing, his long legs hurrying over to where the woman at the edge of the forest was. Most likely this woman was his mother, but she was of no importance to him. The woman entwined her arm within her son's, the two of them walking off into the direction of the village.

Merlin. His name was Merlin.

He let a brief smirk trace his lips. Merlin, just like the bird.

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**So what do you think? Do you want more? I'd love to hear what you have to say in the review box, so click away!**

**Link for the inspiration for this story: /watch?v=l1F5dXOEt-k**

**Song that was playing when Merlin is dancing: You can type in Danza de Resha or use the link: /watch?v=8P3SY5cGmu8**


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's note: **I am back with chapter one! I hope you guys liked the prologue! I am very happy with the responses I got and I hope you guys stick with this story. I know some people don't like dark Arthur, but he won't be like this for the entire story. I promise! _

_**Warnings:** None...for now MWHAHAHAHA_

_**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except for minor OCs_

* * *

"Merlin! Merlin, it's time to wake up!"

Groggily, and muttering under his breath, Merlin sat up from his bed with great discomfort. He groaned, instantly greeted with a throbbing headache from last night's festivities. His entire body ached, the joints and muscles screaming in protest as he rose from his bed. He stepped over to the wash station, pouring water over his face and behind his ears before dressing in his usual attire. Stepping down the squeaking steps of their cottage, he kissed his mother on the cheek before sitting down at the table. "Good morning mother," he greeted cheerfully. "What's for breakfast? It smells good."

"Porridge," she said in a cheerful, but tired, tone. "Though I had to make it from chestnut flour today. This year's harvest was not good I'm afraid."

He frowned, stirring the bland white mixture with concealed distaste. "It'll have to do till next year," he smiled at her reassuringly. "The harvest is already over; there's nothing more we can do now. Winter will be here before you know it."

She frowned. "That's what I'm afraid of," she let out a hacking cough, her tiny body shaking violently as she did. Immediately, Merlin was at her side, easing her down into her seat and brining her cup to her mouth. "Drink," he poured the liquid into her mouth. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard. You're still suffering from that bout of pneumonia last year."

She smiled, pushing the dark hair from her face. "Someone has to do the work around the house. Lord knows it won't get done on its own," she coughed again, though it was not as violent this time. "Please don't fuss, dear."

"I can't help it, you're my mother."

She shooed him away, drinking more of the water. "I think we're almost out of horehound," she stood up from her seat, taking down the basket that held the leaves for her medicine. "Yes, I was right. We're almost out. I'll have to stop by the apothecary later and get some."

"No you won't," he intervened, sitting her back down. "You, need to take some time off. You've been putting too much strain on your body. I will get it for you."

"Merlin, you don't have to. Really, it's no problem at all, I-"

He grabbed his satchel, throwing it over his shoulder and grinned cheekily. "I am old enough to take care of you, mother. Besides, what could happen?"

"Merlin, you really shouldn't jinx yourself," she teased. "You know you can be rather…clumsy, at times."

"It's all part of my charm," he kissed her cheek, hurrying out the small door and into the chilly early November air. The snow had not come yet, though with how chilly the wind was blowing, he knew it would come soon. He didn't mind winter all that much, but with how sick his mother got last year, worry gnawed at his core. She was on the verge of death last year, most of the physicians had given up on her, yet she had miraculously recovered. No one knew how to describe it. It was almost like magic.

He shook his head at the thought. There was no such thing as magic. It had died out ages ago when all the warlocks, witches, and sorcerers disappeared. There were still druids around, though he was skeptical on whether or not they could really use magic. He'd never met one, so he couldn't be certain.

"You know, walking and thinking is never a good thing with you, Merlin."

He grinned, walking up to his uncle and hugged him lightly. "Uncle Gaius!" he exclaimed to the old man. "It's been a while. You weren't at last week's celebration!"

Gaius beckoned him into the small shop, heading over to a long wooden table full of bowls, vials, and different herbs and plants. The old man picked up a vial filled with dark green smashed up plants. "Give this to your mother. I took the liberty of crushing up the leaves for her," as he handed it to him, he regarded him with steely gray eyes. "I didn't go because I had an errand."

"Where to?"

"The Village of Longstrong. I was helping the local physician there, my old friend Alice, with some injuries that had occurred there."

Merlin frowned, his thumb tracing over the vial clenched tightly in his hands. "A group of men were attacked, right?" he continued on after Gaius nodded. "Wasn't it by wolves or something?"

Gaius only shook his head gravely. "I'm afraid not," he glanced uneasily out the window, as if suspecting someone of overhearing. "I don't know what it was, though I do have a suspicion."

"What?"

"Dragons."

"What?" a laugh broke out past his lips, earning a look of disproval from his great Uncle. "Why dragons? No one has seen one in ages! They've probably died out by now anyway."

Gaius only huffed. "I'm serious, Merlin. There were large talon and bite marks on the men caused by now creature I'd seen before. They easily fit into the dragon category."

"But why would they reappear now?" Merlin took a mint leaf off the table, biting into it with his teeth to get the sharp flavor. "We don't have anything they would want. Besides maybe some cattle and sheep, but that's about it. We don't have gold or any other jewels."

Gaius stood up to where a pot was boiling in the mantle, the flames licking the black pot greedily as Gaius poured some sage into it. "I don't know why they would appear. But I do know that something attacked those men and if it weren't for me or Alice, they would be dead right now."

"Well it's a good thing they aren't," he grinned, attempting to lighten the mood. "Otherwise they wouldn't be able to thank you!"

Gaius gave a half smile, grabbing another vile from the table and then frowning. "Merlin, I know you're probably busy, but I have a favor to ask you?"

"What is it?"

"I need you to gather some chamomile for Mr. Fleming's wife. She's been having body aches since her last baby and I'm almost out. Could you run out and go get some?"

He nodded, remembering what the flower looked like. "I'll find some," he said as he headed towards the door. "And I won't take long!"

"That's what you said the last time, Merlin!"

He grinned, rushing out of the shop as quickly as he good to head towards the forest nearby. With the dark trees looming over head angrily, it was no surprise that not a lot of people came into them. Merlin found that he rather liked the forest, with its calm quietness and earthy smells. As a child, he would often hide away in the thick underbrush, playing with his wooden figurines while his mother worked. She would always nag at him afterwards, saying that a wolf could find him and eat him, but that never happened.

If anything, there was hardly anything threatening in the forest. As he marched through the brush, his eyes scanning the ground for the herb, he found himself relaxing. He ran up a little rise, looking over his shoulder at the sound of a branch cracking from behind him. Finding nothing, he shrugged and continued on his way.

He was in the thick part of the forest now, stumbling clumsily over a tree branch that lay underneath his feet. He groaned as he fell flat on his face, wondering why he could be so clumsy at times. His mother said it was charming, but even he could tell that she didn't always think it was. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't be as graceful as her!

Eyes trained towards the ground, he grinned when he recognized the flower he was looking for. Picking up several of the flowers, he scanned the ground for more. He spent a good several minutes picking up the herbs, humming some ditty under his breath. For a singer, he was fairly average. He wasn't like Lady Helen, whose voice was like that of a siren. Still though, he was never going to say that he was bad.

Still humming, he placed the flowers carefully in his bag, trying not to break his mother's medicine. Not looking where he was going, he crashed into a large rock. Rubbing his nose a little, he stared up at it, instantly amazed by what he saw. "Wow," he breathed, amazed at how cool the rock was. He craned his neck up to study it, following it up to see its jagged peak tilting towards the sky. "Wow," he murmured. "It's a standing stone. I've heard stories about it, but I never thought I'd see it!"

He went around the stone, hand pressed against the lined quartz that glittered in the sunlight. By the time he found what it was hiding behind it, a large grin was plastered on his face. A magnificent forest glade surrounded by tall fir trees. In the glade's center, a small lake rivaling the color of the summer sky glistened in the dim light. At the far left side, a rippling stream flowed into the forest and a small broken bridge arched across the water.

"Beautiful," he breathed, setting his bag down on the ground lightly. "How have I never seen this before?"

Before he could even blink, a burst of light shone through the lake. Small blue like creatures danced around it, walking over the water without going through it and dancing a top the flowers that lay across the grass. Completely enchanted, he knelt down to his knees, studying the small fairy like creatures with awe. "Amazing," he whispered. "But no one would believe me if I told them."

The fairies stared at him, one of them flying towards him boldly. She landed in his open palms, staring at him in wonder before smiling. "Emrys," she said in a high pitched voice. "You're Emrys."

"You must have me mistaken for someone else," he replied gently, setting her down on a flower. "My name is Merlin."

"Emrys," she insisted. "You're the one."

"The one what?"

She giggled, flying away with her other companions through the forest, the blue light disappearing into the darkness. She was the last one to leave, waving a tiny arm as she flew away. "We will meet again!" she called. "For now, Emrys!"

He blinked, standing up to brush away the grass on his knees. Slowly walking to the source of their origin, he looked at the shore of the lake. He knelt down, touching the water gently. It was warm, which seemed odd for a lake. Removing his shoes, he dipped his toes into it, the warm water relaxing the soles of his feet. He watched his reflection lazily, bringing some water to his face. "I could come here every day," he sighed. "Maybe I'll bring mother too; this place would be good for her."

And then the water turned pink.

Immediately, he jerked his feet from the water, staring at it in bewilderment. All sorts of colors: Reds, orange, purple, began to bubble up, sending soft circles out across the pool's surface. As the colors began to darken, Merlin noticed something glowing underneath. Leaning over, he slowly let his hand go underneath the water, fingers brushing against the object. He jumped in surprise, expecting it to be some animal that would bite his hand off. Instead, it felt like a rock. Only it was hard, cold and rather small. His stomach lurched, feeling a surge of energy rush through him. He leaned back, suddenly feeling out of breath for some reason, the small stone clenched tightly in his hand.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled. He drew himself to his feet, only to fall over in an ungraceful heap. The trees above him waved violently as the wind drew leaves off them. He ran away as fast as he could, grabbing his bag on the way out. As he hid underneath two rocks, he heard the roar of something big. Something he couldn't identify.

"Dragon," he blurted out loud. "Maybe I intruded on its home. Oh no, mother will be devastated if it eats me!"

He ran as fast as he could, not looking back to see if something was chasing him. By the time he got to Gaius' house, he was so out of breath that his face and lips were blue. Gaius stared at him from his station, shock and surprise written all over his old face. "Merlin, what is the matter? You look like you've see a ghost!"

"I," he began, not knowing where to start. "I was out gathering the herbs, like you asked, and I heard something."

"What was it?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I thought it was a dragon. It let out a big roar that I'd never heard from an animal. I didn't see it, but I didn't really want to find out!"

"Well it's a good thing you didn't," Gaius took his bag, removing the Chamomile. "I do not wish to explain to your mother that you were eaten by a dragon."

"Right," he breathed, taking his bag back from his uncle. "Well, I better be getting home now. Don't want to keep my mother waiting!"

He dashed out of the house, not wanting to explain more about the glade he'd found. Or the creatures and the rock. He'd stuffed the rock in one of his bag's pockets, not quite sure why he'd taken it. What if the dragon wanted it back? Weren't dragons dangerously possessive over their treasures?

When he opened the door to his house, he found his mother fast asleep in her chair, her sewing tools in her hand. He smiled, placing the herbs next to her and drew a blanket over her body. He raced up the short steps of their cottage and into his small cramped room, throwing his bag on his bed. Lying on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, trying to calm his still beating heart.

Once he felt he was calm enough, he looked over at his bag, only to find it was glowing. Mystified, he opened it and reached in to grab the stone. His eyes widened, a blue-green hue shining on his face as he held the stone. It felt warm and reassuring in his hand, smooth and slick in his palm. He narrowed his eyes at it, wondering how all the dirt came off it and how it became smooth all of a sudden. When he'd picked it up from the lake, it had been rough.

"Odd," he mumbled. "Although, this entire day has been odd."

The stone pulsed in his hand. He continued to study it, noting how it was shiny and faceted in different places. The blue-green surface was short with clear, sparkly veins of purple. He sighed, laying the stone down on his bed and walked quietly back downstairs, returning with some rawhide strips, twine, and other materials.

After several tries and errors, he eventually got the rawhide and twine to work. Creating some sort of bracelet on his wrist that felt loose, yet at the same time, sturdy enough so that it wouldn't fall off.

"Whatever this is," he said to himself, spine tingling as if something was listening in on him. "I have a feeling you are not a normal rock."

* * *

"You didn't have to scare him, you know."

He stared at the old man unblinkingly, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. The old man didn't look up from the elixir he was mixing, speaking rather calmly as he addressed him. "You could have given him a heart attack."

"Who is he?" was all he said.

"My nephew," the old man answered. "But why should you care? You have not paid us a visit in the last sixty-five years. Why now?"

"That is none of your concern, now is it, Gaius?" he growled, eyes flashing. "Where does he live?"

Gaius set down the spoon, staring at him incredulously. "Why are you asking me these questions? Don't you already have a human of your own? If I remember correctly, the last time you were here was to retrieve her from her family. Wasn't her name-"

He appeared in front of the table, hands placed violently on the sides. He placed all his weight on it, the wood crushing underneath his grip. "Do not speak of her!" he hissed inhumanly. "Don't you ever mention her name!"

Gaius didn't look impressed. "So you lost her then," he resumed to stirring the mixture. "To another one of your kind, I presume?"

"If you are going to be of no help, then I will leave. But know this! I will be back tomorrow night!"

"Wait!" Gaius called after him. "What do you want with him? You can't have him! He doesn't belong with you!"

He only paused briefly, letting a smirk form on his lips. "We'll see about that."

* * *

**Oooooohhhhhh things are starting to heat up. When a dragon wants something, he sure as hell is going to get it! Review please!**


	3. Chapter 2

_**Author's note: **I'm back guys! Thanks for the reviews and follows! I know it's been a while, but a lot has happened in the past few weeks. I was on vacation in Spain, I had a school play to deal with, getting ready for graduation, and I have been dealing with some depression and emotional anxiety. Also, my computer recently had a Cryptowall 3.0 virus, so all my documents for fanfiction, school, and all my games got ereased. I had to go get it cleaned and that took about two weeks. Reinstalling everything was just soooo much fun._

_**Warnings:** None_

_**Disclaimers:** I don't own anything_

* * *

"A storm's coming in."

Merlin looked up from the fire he was starting, craning his head to see his mother standing by the window of their home. There were indeed dark clouds forming in the west, a heavy wind blowing through with the promise of rain. He shivered once, feeling the cold air rush through the room.

"Can't be helped," he added more wood to the fire, a rush of warmth filling his core. "Now why don't you get away from the window? You'll get wet if you stand there for too long."

She nodded, returning the pot she had hanging over the kitchen fire. She hummed, not looking up from her cooking as she spoke. "Merlin?"

"Hm?"

"I was speaking with Gaius earlier today," she began, her eyes now hard as she stared intently at the soup. "He's thinking of spending a few months traveling through a number of kingdoms to see how other apothecary's treat their patients."

He nodded, though he had no interest in chemistry, alchemy, or whatever it was that his uncle did. "That sounds interesting," he stated, though he honestly thought it would be good for his uncle to get out of the village every now and then. "When is he leaving?"

She paused, setting the ladle in the pot down. "There was something else too," she pursed her lips, knuckles turning white as she curled her hand tightly. "Your uncle wanted to take you with him. He says that you've wanted to go adventuring and such, so he thought it would be a good idea."

"Really?" he was speechless, and a bit honored of the thought that his uncle would want him to accompany him on a long travel. "When's he leaving?"

"Merlin!" she narrowed her eyes at him, looking extremely upset now. "Don't rush into things so quickly. While I would love for you to go on an adventure, I worry about your safety and wellbeing more than my own."

He nodded, knowing full well how this conversation would go. "I can take care of myself, Mother," he reminded her. "Do you think I won't be able to look after myself and Uncle Gaius?"

"Of course I don't think that!" she protested, crossing her arms. "It's just that, you've never been a normal child…"

"Ah, thanks for the reminder."

"Don't you dare," she stepped towards him quickly. "You know that's not what I meant. You know full well that odd things would happen when you were a child. I've done my best to make sure no one in the village found out, but if something happened to you, I don't know what I'd…"

"It's okay, Mother," he hugged her quickly, feeling her distress. "Uncle Gaius is the only one who knows about the weird stuff that would happen when I was younger. He'd know what to do."

"I know. It's just that, I worry about you Merlin. You're my only child and I would be lost if something happened to you."

He took her tiny hand within his, the small body part tiny compared to his. She was delicate and small, looking very fragile and sickly. When he was younger, she looked healthier, but now he could tell the years had taken its toll on her. He didn't want to admit it, and it scared him to even think about it, but she was slowly slipping away. "Go sit down," he ordered gently, picking her up when she just stood there. "You need to rest. You look unwell."

He noted her light weight, feeling several bones that he knew he should not feel. She was becoming too thin. "And you need to eat more; you're too thin," he looked over to the soup, scooping a large portion of it and placed it in a bowl. "Eat."

She smiled, shaking her softly. "You'll be a good husband one day, Merlin," she said, taking the soup and taking a bite. "Though I think you could pass as a wife with how you cook sometimes." She teased; eyes twinkling.

He grinned, taking a bite from his own soup. "Good thing I'm not a girl then, right?" he ate five more bites before speaking again, the texture burning his throat. "So, about Gaius' trip? When did he tell you he wanted me to go with him?"

She paused, blinking once before swirling her tiny spoon around in the bowl. "I was at the market today selling some of the fabrics I've been working on and he came up to me. He seemed distressed for some reason, as if something were bothering him. A part of me wonders if he is in some sort of trouble, but that doesn't sound like him. He said he wanted to leave today, but I told him that you needed time to prepare first. After that he just left."

"Strange," he commented back. "That doesn't sound like him at all."

"I know," her eyes lit with worry again. "Something must have happened. I wonder what it was. Maybe he gambled too much?"

"But he never loses!"

"Luck has to run out at some point, Merlin."

"I know, but…"

His voice trailed off suddenly as vibrations soon shook the whole house. The pot hanging on the spit fell off, the soup oozing out of it like a wound. The dinnerware on their table fell over as well as the table when they stood up, Merlin immediately reaching for his mother to pull her from a falling shelf. The wooden case smashed, the sound of more objects falling echoing in his ears. The fire hissed, the flames dancing brightly in the now cluttered home.

When the vibrations stopped, his mother looked up at him in fright. "What was that?" she whispered, now very pale. "We've never had something like that happen before."

"I'll go see what it was; stay here," he ordered, rushing over to the door and pushing it forward. Most of the villagers were outside now, talking quite loudly and looking scared. He spotted Will, who was holding Freya close to him. "What was that?" he asked as he rushed over to them. "Do you know what it was?"

Freya shook her head. "We have no idea," she began, her small voice now quite loud. "I've never felt anything like it."

"Me either," Will tightened his grip on her. "Must be a really strong storm coming in."

"I don't think it's a storm," Merlin looked past them, noticing an entire cottage had collapsed. The owner of the house was hysterical, on her knees and screaming as the body of her husband lay underneath. Her children were around, all three of them crying and pulling on her dress. He swallowed tightly, not wanting to look at the scene anymore. "Something's coming. I can feel it."

"What?" Will asked. "What's coming?"

He looked down at his bracelet, now noticing the gem pulsing with blue-green light. It felt warm, almost hot to touch. "I don't know," he answered, feeling as lost as they did. "I really don't know."

"Merlin!"

Gaius suddenly grabbed him, pulling him back towards the house. He was confused, though he didn't fight against his uncle's grip. "What's going on, Gaius?" he asked, his heart thumping. "Do you know what's going on?"

His mother appeared at the doorway, a satchel around her body. Gaius glanced up towards the sky, a flash of lightning appearing with thunder following soon after. "I wanted to get you out earlier, Merlin, but I couldn't. You need to get out of here; you and your mother. Now!"

"Why?"

"Just do as I said!" Gaius snapped, both he and his mother jumping at his out of character response. Gaius was very worried as he looked at his nephew and sister. "I tried to protect you from him, but I couldn't. Hunith, Merlin, you need to run!"

"WHAT IS THAT?"

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

"DRAGON!"

Then he felt it, the unpleasant feeling of the hairs on the back of his neck being sizzled off. He fell to the ground, the heat pulsating so close to his body that his eyes started to water. Black smoke was everywhere, the sounds of various people screaming and running around. Gaius was on top of his mother, trying to get rid of the flames that were on her dress.

"Merlin!" Gaius called to him, cradling his now unconscious mother in his arms. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" he called back, ducking down as a large creature soared above his head. "What was that?"

"A dragon!"

He blinked a few times to process that before a blood curdling scream broke him out of his daze. A man on fire was running around, trying to get the flames off his body before collapse on the ground, rolling around furiously. Gaius handed him his mother, motioning for him to follow him. Houses were on fire, and so were people. Burned bodies lay precariously on the ground, the scent of burning flesh making him sick.

Gaius pulled them through the edge of town, where most people were beginning to head into. He stopped to take a breath, setting his mother down. "What does it want?" he panted, leaning against a tree for support. "I thought dragons didn't exist anymore. Was this the same creature I saw yesterday?"

"Yes," Gaius replied, hastily looking down to treat his mother's wounds. "And I know who this dragon is. He's been here before."

"He?"

The old man sighed, looking towards the burning village as the golden dragon roared again, sending more fire out of its body. The cries of more people and the scent of burning bodies made him wretch. Gaius only watched in sympathy, removing some of the soot off his mother's face. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I should have warned you the minute I knew what his intentions were."

"Gaius," he grabbed his uncle's shoulders. "What are you talking about? Why is that dragon here? What is he after?"

"He's after you."

He shook his head, stepping back a little. "Me? Why me?"

"He saw you at the celebration several nights ago and became entranced by you. Merlin, like any other dragon, he'll stop at nothing to have you for himself. The last time he was here, he almost burnt down the village."

He placed his hands over his face, the new information now sinking in. This wasn't his fault, he knew it wasn't, yet so many people were dying. "What should I do?" he asked, a headache now pounding in the back of his skull. "What should I do, Gaius?"

"Run, Merlin, run for your life!"

"HELP!"

They both looked up, seeing a woman with matted dark hair running around, her eyes practically rolling in the back of her head. "THE DRAGON! IT'S COMING! THE DRAGON IS COMING!"

Before she could get any farther, the dragon flew forward, landing on the ground right in front of Merlin and the rest of the people, who were all now paralyzed with fear. The piercing sky blue eyes of the dragon bored into him, a voice that was smooth, yet powerful, echoed in his mind.

"_Come with me."_

"No," Merlin shook his head fervently. "I won't go with you!

"_Come with me or I'll kill them."_

He turned around to face the people, noticing all their eyes on him. He could see an old man trying to shield his wife from the beast, while his grandson hid his face in his shirt. A mother knelt down to cover her young daughter, whose brown eyes were fixed on him with pure fear. His heart thumped in his chest, returning his gaze to the dragon, who was looking at him expectantly.

"I…." he began, for once, not having an idea on what to do. "I…"

"Merlin," he felt his mother's voice, rushing to her side to see how she was. A bruise was now on her forehead, along with several scrapes. If he didn't go with the dragon, if mother would be killed. There was no question about that. "Don't do it; don't go!"

"He'll kill you!" he protested, taking her hand into his. "I can't be the reason you're dead!"

"I'm going to die one day; I refuse to let you sacrifice yourself!"

"But all these people," he argued back, hearing the sounds of families and friends wailing at the death of a loved one, the whimpers of the people around him. "If I don't do what he wants, he'll kill them."

"Merlin!"

He kissed her cheek, hugging her tightly. "I don't want anyone else to die because of me. It wouldn't be right."

"Don't go!" she sobbed, Gaius holding her back as he walked away. "MERLIN!"

He could feel tears well in the back of his eyes as she screamed, knowing that her sick and frail body wouldn't be able to fight against Gaius for long. The dragon leaned forward slightly, steam emanating from its nose.

"_What is your answer?"_

Closing his eyes, he let out a deep sigh. "I'll go with you," he answered. "As long as you leave this village and never come back."

The dragon roared, thunder rumbling in the sky as he did. If he wasn't mistaken, it almost sounded like a laugh of triumph. With the gracefulness of a big cat, the dragon leaped forward, and in the blink of an eye, faster than his brain could process it, a man stood before him.

He was about an inch or so taller than him, with shining golden hair and sun kissed skin. His athletic body was smooth as he walked towards him, with the grace and speed of a mountain cat. His eyes were a piercing blue, mirroring that of the sky. He grabbed his chin, tilting it up to look at him. The dragon in human form smirked, eyes flashing gold and the pupils turning into slits, just like his dragon form. "You cannot turn back on your word," he began, his voice like silk. "You have to stay with me."

"I know," he replied, not enthusiastic about it. "As long as you leave this village be."

"I swear. Now, go to sleep."

And then, everything went black. The only thing he could hear was the sound of his mother's screams echoing in his ears.

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**Review please! I know some of the characters may seem OOC right now, but they are that way for a reason. If you have concrit or anything to say, please be specific and I'll do my best to improve. All my other files were deleted, so I can't change them at this moment. Please keep that in mind.**


	4. Chapter 3

_**Author's note: **__This chapter makes me feel horrible for Merlin. I'm giving you warning that there is a rape scene. Rape is horrible, disgusting, and inhumane. I hated writing it, but it was essential for this story. I do not condone rape at all. I have friends and a family member who have been and it something I would never wish upon anyone. If this offends anyone, I deeply apologize and I promise that there will not be another scene like this in this story again. It was difficult to write and I apologize again. I left notes in bold for anyone who doesn't want to read it. Again, I apologize._

_**Warnings: **__There is a rape scene. I will be marking where it is so those who are uncomfortable with reading that don't have to. I hated writing it, but it is essential to the story._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own anything except for minor OCs_

* * *

When he awoke, the dragon was not there.

Instead, he found himself alone. He didn't know exactly where he was, other than the fact that it was dimly lit. He had a feeling it was a cave of some sort, but he couldn't be for certain. It was unusually warm for a cave, with tapestries and torches hanging on the walls. He found himself on a large bed with blankets as red as blood.

He shivered, wondering why on earth a dragon would need a bed. Standing up, he walked around the room, eyes widening. It was a rather large cave, very spacious with furniture of all sorts draped around here and there.

"This cannot be happening," he rubbed his temples, almost tempted to hide under the bed. "This cannot be happening."

But it was. As much as he didn't want to admit it, there was no use in denying it. He swung his legs off the bed, taking the cave as a whole. Just as he thought, it was a lot more spacious than he thought. The dragon was nowhere in sight, which was a relief and unnerving at the same time. He didn't want to see him, but he also didn't want to keep waiting for him to return.

He thought of his mother and Gaius, Will and Freya, the village. He could almost feel the tears burn the back of his eyes, but he wiped them away. "Crying won't do any good," he reminded himself, taking a deep breath. "I need to find a way out of here."

He wandered past the furniture, into one of the darker exits of the cave. He could hear water dripping in the distance; the rocks that made the wall glistened and shine like the stars in the night sky. The ground was damp and he shivered, wrapping his thin cloth jacket tighter around himself. He could hear bats and possibly other animals make noises.

"Creepy cave," he felt around the walls, wrinkling his nose at the wet feeling on his hands. He was now missing the warm bed. Well, just a little. If he could find a way to get away from the dragon, then that would be great.

He frowned then, remembering the village. If he left, the dragon would go back on his word and kill them all. He didn't want that for Gaius and his mother. Nor for Will and Freya, who had their whole lives ahead of them; and with a baby on the way too, it would be selfish. He couldn't do that to them. He had to go back or, at least, try and find a way back. He had no idea where he even started.

'_What if the dragon comes back and is mad?'_ he began to walk even faster, breaking into a run. _'What if he thinks I ran away and attacks home?'_

He suddenly found himself sprinting through the cave, almost slipping a few times on puddles of water. The bats above his head chirped at the sounds of his heavy breathing, but he found that he couldn't care. He had to find his way out and back to where the dragon put him.

He continued to run, feeling a small surge of relief when he saw the glow of the tapers on the wall. He followed them, the image of the furniture appearing. He couldn't see the dragon, which was both relieving and rather taxing at the same time.

"There you are."

He jumped, immediately whirling around to see the dragon standing before him. He was in his human form, though he was now wearing a dark brown shirt and boots. He looked at him with a smirk, his blue eyes occasionally flashing gold. Merlin's heart leapt into his throat and he jumped over the couch, trying to distance himself from the creature. The dragon only raised an eyebrow when he grabbed the nearest object and pointed it at him. "A pillow? Is that the best you can do?"

He glared at him. "What do you want from me?"

"Excuse me?"

"You brought me here, so what do you want?" he almost threw the feathery object, though he had a feeling he was just humoring the dragon. "Answer me!"

"Patience is a virtue, or so they say," the dragon let out a dark sounding laugh. "I brought you here to entertain me."

He moved further behind the couch, the dragon moving forward with each step. "I don't know how to entertain," he protested, not setting down the pillow. "I can't sing or make jokes! I don't even have any acrobatic talents!"

The dragon only smirked. "You can dance."

"What?"

He laughed humorlessly, crossing his arms. "I first saw the night of my father's celebration. I was just passing through, trying to decide if I wanted to pick any of you off or just leave you all alone, but then I saw you."

He gulped, not knowing whether to feel creeped out or scared. "So you were stalking me?" the dragon blinked, as if he didn't register this new team. "You were watching me for all these days and I didn't even know about it?"

"Yes," the dragon said emotionlessly. "I've been watching you."

Now officially creeped out, he glared at the dragon. "Then what's my name?"

"Merlin."

"And what's your name? Or whatever it is you dragons call yourselves."

"Arthur."

He suddenly felt surprised at how common his name sounded. "Arthur?" he asked, trying to make more sense of it. The dragon nodded, almost looking a bit prideful. "That's a rather ordinary sounding name."

"What did you expect?" he raised a perfectly arched golden brow. "Some fancy name that no one could pronounce?"

"…Maybe."

Arthur rolled his eyes, stepping closer towards the couch. Merlin stepped back again, finding himself now very close to another piece of furniture. Arthur only walked towards a chair nearby, fingering a guitar that had been left sitting there. It appeared to be an ordinary instrument, but if he looked closer, he could tell the wood had gold etched into it and diamonds along the back. Of course, only a dragon could have the finest of things.

The dragon sat down in the chair with fluid gracefulness, almost like a blur. "I'm not going to eat you," he stated. "If I was, I would have done it a while ago. I would have cooked you over a spit. Maybe I'd invite a few friends over as well."

He didn't know if he was being serious, or if he was joking, but he didn't intend to find out. "Good to know." Was all he said, trying to keep his distance from the man.

Arthur just strummed the strings, a dark, haunting chord coming out. "I bet you're surprised I know how to play, but we dragons do have a lot of free time and being immortal does give you a lot of time to discover to tricks," he turned his unblinking eyes towards Merlin. "Dance for me."

He flushed pink at the order, hands clenching at his sides. "Dance? Now?"

"Do you need to clean out your ears? I said dance for me."

He wet his lips, suddenly feeling parched. "Do I have to?" he asked, trying to think of a reason to back out of it. "I mean, I'm kind of tired."

Arthur stopped strumming the strings, eyes flashing again and glared over at him. "Dance, or I shall make you dance. Pick which one you prefer."

"You don't give a lot of choices," he mumbled, hoping the dragon didn't hear that. If he did, he didn't respond. Instead, he continued to strum the guitar strings. He sighed in defeat, deciding it was best to just do what the dragon wanted. It was either that, or be forced to. He still wasn't sure which one was better.

The chords were haunting, as if they were telling a sad story of a young couple, or whatever else anyone could imagine. Arthur had his eyes fixed on him the whole time, looking as unblinking as they always did. He spun in a circle, hands entwined above his head as he tried to think of movements that would work. If Arthur looked entertained, he didn't show it. He just looked passive, almost uninterested. But he could tell he wasn't because his eyes would flash every now and then with an emotion he couldn't place.

"You can stop now," Arthur stood up, setting the guitar back down and headed towards a table with a basket nearby. "I'm sure you're hungry; here."

He tossed him an apple and some bread, which he took gratefully. His stomach growled in response and Arthur smirked. "When you're done eating, you can dance again."

"What?" he asked in between mouthfuls. "But I just got done!"

"You lacked energy. I assumed it was because you've gone two days without food."

His stomach lurched and he found himself feeling sick. Two days without food? He'd been captive here for two days? "I was asleep the whole time?" he asked, now not feeling very hungry. "And you didn't even bother to wake me up?"

Arthur shrugged, obviously not caring. "You move a lot in your sleep," he picked up some gold from a small box nearby, fingering it delicately. "And sometimes you talk too. It made you look rather foolish."

"Gee, thanks."

"Are you done yet?"

He looked down at his lap, where his unfinished apple and bread lay. "Not yet," he glared up at his captor. "Why, in a hurry?"

"You know, I could kill you if I wanted to," Arthur glared at him, both their gazes meeting heatedly. "Maybe you should be grateful that I spared your life."

"Grateful?" he sputtered. "You kidnapped me! You took me away from my family and friends, and you expect me to be grateful? Do you even understand how that would make me, or anyone else in my position feel?"

From the look on Arthur's face, the answer was no. He rolled his eyes, taking another bite of the apple as Arthur just stared at him. He didn't look surprised from his outburst, but he did look nostalgic for some reason. "You remind me of her," he said after a moment of silence. "She was just as passionate as you."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter," he brushed him off arrogantly. "Now hurry up."

He rolled his eyes at his snappiness, finishing off the bread and apple quick. He had to give the dragon some credit; he didn't feel more awake now. Arthur had picked up his guitar again, now strumming a livelier tune. He blinked, remembering it was one of the songs they'd played at the festival. As if reading his mind, Arthur turned his head to speak to him. "This is the song I saw you dancing to," he verified, just to clear things up. "Now dance for me."

Merlin only sighed softly, getting up to go over to the dragon and dance in the open space in front of him. He knew this song by heart, copying the movements that Freya had taught him when he first wanted to learn the dance. His mother would hum it to him when he was little as a lullaby, and he could hear her voice. He could only hope that she was alright, though there was no way of knowing if, or when, he would ever see her again.

His hips swayed to the beat, and he closed his eyes, not liking the feeling of Arthur watching him. The dragon's eyes were intense, so intense that he felt like he was burning a whole right through him. He cleared his throat a few times, wondering if the dragon would catch on and stop, but that didn't give him much luck. Arthur only continued to watch him.

Then, the strumming stopped.

He opened his eyes, finding the dragon was no longer in his seat, but right in front of him. He grabbed him by the front of his worn blue shirt, bringing their lips together in a rather hard manner. He yelped, trying to push him away but Arthur grabbed his wrists, holding them above his head firmly. "Don't fight," he commanded. "I'm doing this for your own good."

"What are you doing?" he continued to thrash, almost giving him a good kick to the shin. "Let me go! Now!"

***There is a rape scene. If you don't wish to read it, then look for the next bold words."**

Arthur didn't listen to him, he just dragged him over to the bed and threw him on it. He didn't realize it, but even in human form, the dragon was incredibly strong. Within a matter of seconds, he ripped his shirt off, hands reaching towards his trousers. Merlin hissed, attempting furiously to remove Arthur's hand from his wrists. "Stop!" he pleaded. "You don't have to do this; I don't want this! Stop!"

Arthur didn't listen, he just dropped his hand towards his flaccid cock. He wanted to throw up, the dragon's hands unbearably hot against his skin. "No," he groaned, his body betraying him, feelings he didn't want rising up. "No, stop, please!"

He did manage to get one of his wrists free, almost smacking Arthur in the face with his right hand. Arthur managed to catch it right before it hit his face, hissing when his bracelet touched his skin.

"What do we have here?" he asked, examining the stone. "A dragon stone, huh? Well, that'll have to go."

He threw it across the room, continuing to touch him. Merlin shook his head, feeling bile rise up in his throat. "Don't!" he cried out. "No, no, no! Don't do this!"

Arthur just ignored him, his bright blue eyes flashing with lust. He only stood up momentarily to remove his own trousers. Merlin shut his eyes, wishing this would all go away; that Arthur would disappear and he was back home with his mother and uncle, hanging out with his friends. Anything would be better than this.

He was jerked out of his illusion when he entered him. He screamed, the sound raw and bloody. Arthur hissed in pleasure, his grip tightening on his wrists. He didn't even bother to prepare him, he just went on right ahead, thrusting in and out at a merciless pace. Merlin didn't even bother trying to stop screaming. He continued to fight against Arthur, tears of pain and sorrow streaming down his face.

***End***

It was over in less than a couple minutes, Arthur releasing inside of him and then pulling out, breathing deeply against him. Merlin just pulled away from him, scooting towards the edge of the bed and holding his bruised wrists. Arthur just sighed, wiping the sweat away from his face with a cloth. "You and I are now linked; body and soul," he began. "This states that you have been claimed by me and no other dragon can touch you," his eyes hardened with anger. "I should have done this to her before he came. But it doesn't matter now, you belong to me."

Merlin just blinked back the tears, glaring hatefully at his captor. "I will never forgive you for this," he growled. "Never."

Arthur just nodded. "Do as you like; I could have done much worse."

"Just leave me alone," Arthur then left, he didn't care where, but he was glad that he was gone. He curled up in a ball, letting the tears slip freely down his face as he began to sob.

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**Again, I apologize for this chapter. Arthur is being incredibly dark and OOC, but this leaves room for him to change his ways. Merlin will not be having any kind feelings towards Arthur for quite a while because of this. What Arthur did is inexcusable and he will face consequences for it. I assure you of this.**


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